Package for draining an infusion bag

ABSTRACT

A package for an infusion bag is disclosed comprising a cavity defined by front and rear opposing surfaces and top and bottom lids. The top lid outwardly biases top edges of the front and rear opposing surfaces for preventing the top edges from brushing against a string during retraction of the infusion bag. A lid is located on the bottom of the cavity, opposing the top lid, where the bottom lid has one free edge, and wherein inwardly biasing side edges of the surfaces outwardly biases the free edge of the bottom lid from the adjacent surface.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to infusion bags such as teabags and to packages that assist in the draining of the infusion bags after removal from a liquid.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Infusion commodities and related bags are well known and include typical teabags having a tag connected by a string. Hot water is poured into a mug or other sturdy and heat resistant cup and the teabag is inserted into the cup so that the tag hangs over the cup rim. After a typical period of infusion (e.g., three to five minutes), the tag is lifted away from the cup, pulling the bag from the cup. The teabag is then pressed between the tag and the bowl of the spoon for draining.

There are several challenges presented by using the tag to lift the teabag from the teacup and for draining the teabag. Upon placement into a cup of boiling water, teabags often sink to the teacup base, pulling the tag into the cup. The tea is thus contaminated by the substance in the tag. After the saturated teabag and tag are removed from the cup (e.g. by using a spoon), the user cannot drain the teabag without having hot water drip on the user's fingers.

In view of the stated challenges, there is a need for a teabag implement for lifting the teabag from a cup of water after infusion, where the tag cannot fall into the teacup during infusion. The implement should also enable the user to drain the teabag without requiring direct contact between the users' fingers and the tag or the teabag.

Several prior art patents disclose teabag packages connected to the teabag by a string that attempt to satisfy the above stated needs. One example of a prior art teabag page is illustrated in FIG. 1 and generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,308,241 to Hogaboom, U.S. Pat. No. 3,047,397 to Irmscher, U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,729 to Grant, U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,810 to Dacal, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,197 to Ferro. Each patent discloses a teabag 2 and package 6 connected by a string 4. Each package 6 contains first and second opposing, liquid impervious body sheets, 8 and 10, that are continuous about a medial fold 12. During infusion, as the teabag fills with water, the package 4 is large enough to hang over the cup rim without slipping into the cup. After infusion, the teabag 2 is drawn between the body sheets 8 and 10, towards the medial fold 12, and drained by being squeezed between the sheets 8 and 10.

A challenge with this prior art design is that if the user drains the teabag by squeezing the side edges of the body sheets 8 and 10, the user will be subjected to liquid dripping from the side of the teabag 2. On the other hand, the user can grip the opposing faces of the body sheets 8 and 10 to drain the teabag. However, this action will cause the sheets to pinch the string 4 at the medial fold 12 as the teabag 2 is drawn into the package 6, preventing the retraction of the teabag 2 into the package 6.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,528 to O'Neill, illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, also teaches a squeezable package for emptying a teabag similar to the discussed prior art. O'Neill has a teabag 2 connected to a package 6 by a string 4, where the package has front and rear body sheets 8 and 10 connected at a medial fold 12. O'Neill also has first and second side liners 14 and 16 which expand upon the opening of the package for protecting the user from exposure to the teabag liquid during retraction of the teabag. If the user grips the opposing faces of the body sheets 8 and 10 to retract the teabag 2, then the user will find the same problem as the prior art illustrated in FIG. 1. If the user grips the sides of the body sheets 8 and 10, around the liners 14 and 16, the liners will be inwardly biased which will collapse the opening and prevent the teabag 2 from retracting into the package 6.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,269 to Goldberg discloses a conical package connected to a teabag by a string running through the apex of the package, where the user retracts the teabag by pulling a string through the apex of the cone. The shape of Goldberg is essentially a rounded form of O'Neill, so that the package of Goldberg will also tend to bias inwardly from the grip of the user, collapsing the opening and preventing the retraction of the teabag.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,978 to Major teaches a teabag that is directly connected to a squeezable package, without the use of a string. To empty the teabag, the package is folded around the teabag in a book form, with the resulting shape similar to that of FIG. 1, above, with the teabag retracted into the package. Accordingly, Major has at least the same drawbacks as the prior art related to FIG. 1. Another weakness of Major is that without a string, the cup needs to be filled almost to the rim before water can mix with the contents of the teabag.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,724 to Adler teaches a teabag straining package that is connected to the inside of the teacup and submerged in tea water. After retracting the teabag into the package with a string, a watertight strainer drains the tea water from the teabag so that the user is not required to touch the teabag. The problem with Adler is that the cup will tend to tip when the user draws the teabag through the strainer.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the prior art, it is an object of the invention to provide a straining package for a teabag that is light and unobtrusive like a tag but is unlikely to fall into a teacup. The straining package should allow for the complete immersion of the infusion bag in the cup so that water can be poured over it and for draining of tea water through a single opening. The package should also be unlikely to brush against the string during retraction of the teabag and be able to maintain its shape while the user retracts the teabag into the package.

To satisfy the recited objectives, a package for an infusion bag is disclosed comprising a cavity defined by front and rear opposing surfaces and a top lid. The top lid outwardly biases top edges of the front and rear opposing surfaces for preventing the top edges from brushing against a string during retraction of the infusion bag. A lid is located at the bottom of the cavity, opposing the top lid, where the bottom lid has one free edge, and wherein inwardly biasing side edges of the surfaces outwardly biases the free edge of the bottom lid from the adjacent surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

To further satisfy the recited objectives, a detailed description of typical embodiments of the invention is provided with reference to appended drawings that are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one configuration of a prior art teabag straining package;

FIG. 2 is a front view of another configuration of a prior art teabag straining package;

FIG. 3 is a side of the teabag straining package of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the teabag of the invention retracted into the package and being drained within the package;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the teabag package of FIG. 4 illustrating the removal of a teabag from the package;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the teabag package of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a front view of the teabag package of FIG. 4 illustrating the retraction of the teabag into the package;

FIG. 8 illustrates the teabag package of FIG. 4 while the teabag is within a teacup; and

FIG. 9 illustrates an exploded view of the package of FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Turning to FIG. 4, the package 6 for a teabag is displayed having front and rear opposing surfaces 8 and 10. The surfaces are mirror images of each other, having a width defined by the distance between joined side edges 12 and 14, and a length defined by the distance between opposing top edges 16 and 18 and bottom edges 20 and 22.

A top lid 24 is located between top edges 16 and 18 of the surfaces 8 and 10, having a front edge 32 and a rear edge 34 that are integral with the respective surfaces edges. A bottom lid 26 is located between the bottom edges 20 and 22 of the surfaces 8 and 10, where the front edge 28 is integral with the respective surface edge 20 and the rear edge 30 is unattached to the adjacent surface edge 22. The shape of the bottom lid 26 and top lid 24 is semicircular about respective centerlines 40 and 41, defining a cylindrical cross sectional shape for the top edges 16, 18 bottom edges 20 and 22 and along the length of the surfaces 8 and 10. A cavity 31 is defined by and internal surfaces of the lids 24 and 26 and the surfaces 8 and 10, where the cavity 31 provides benefits when lowering a teabag into a teacup (before infusion) or retracting a teabag from a teacup (after infusion).

When lowering the teabag 2 from the package 6 (FIG. 5), the side edges 12 and 14 are inwardly biased (in a direction along arrows A-A in FIG. 5). The inward biasing causes the surfaces 8 and 10 to curve outwardly, beyond the initial cylindrical contour of the surfaces. This outward motion expands the cavity 31 and causes the free edge 30 of the lid 26 to retract from the bottom edge 22 of the surface 10, defining an opening 43. The cavity 31 and opening 43 are large enough for the teabag 2 to fall through and out of the package 6 (in a direction along arrows B-B in FIG. 5), into a teacup. As compared with the prior art, it is unnecessary to grip the teabag before placing the teabag in water.

When retracting the teabag 2 into the package 6 after infusion (FIG. 6), the side edges 12 and 14 are again inwardly biased for expanding the cavity 31 and opening 43 so that the package 6 may receive the teabag 2. The teabag 2 is retracted into the package cavity (in a direction along arrows C-C in FIG. 6) using a string 4 connected to the teabag 2 through the top lid 24 of the package 6. The cylindrical contour of the lid 24 and the expanse of the cavity 31 prevent the package structure from rubbing against and resisting the motion of the teabag 2 or string 4. As a result, the teabag 2 is retracted into the cavity 31 with minimal effort as compared to the prior art described above. Once the teabag is retracted into the cavity 31 (FIG. 4), the front and rear surfaces 8 and 10 are biased inwardly, against the cylindrical contour of the surfaces 8 and 10, using a person's fingers, squeezing the liquid from the teabag 2.

In the illustration of FIG. 4, the top lid 24 has two slits 36 and 38 through which the string 4 is connected to the teabag 2. However, the top lid 24 could have one slit, where the string 4 would connect at one end to the teabag 2 and at the other end to a tag (FIG. 1) or a knot (FIG. 2) that is larger than the slit opening.

The width of the package 6 is larger than the width of a teabag 2, and is illustrated in FIG. 7 as approximately ten percent larger than the width of the teabag 2. The width of the package 6 prevents the teabag 2 from hitting the edges 12 and 14 when the edges 12 and 14 are biased inwardly to release or retract the teabag 2. The length of the package 6, as with the width, is illustrated as being larger than the height of the teabag 6 by about ten percent. Due to the size of the package 6, the teabag 2 may be fully enclosed within the package 6, before and after infusion (FIG. 5). As seen in FIG. 8, the size of the package 6 also prevents the package from falling into the teacup during infusion.

The lids 24 and 26 are foldable about the respective centerlines, whereby the surfaces become planar with a rectangular plan view (not shown). Folding the lids minimizes the depth of the package so that, prior to infusion, a large number of packages 6 many be stored in a minimal volume. After infusion, the lids may be folded to minimize refuse volume.

Turning to FIG. 9, a bottom extension 42 is attached to the rear surface 10 to provide an extra surface for containing the teabag 2 during storage or disposal. When the lid 26 is extended towards the rear surface 10, the extension 42 overlaps with the half of the lid 26 that is proximate to the rear surface 10 and serves as a lip for restraining excess water after a teabag 2 is drained from within the package 6.

The extension 42 has a shape that mirrors the half of the lid 26 that is proximate to the rear surface 10 when the lid 26 is extended towards the rear surface 10. The extension 42 has an edge 44 that is integral with the bottom edge of the rear surface 20 and which is adjacent to the free edge 30 of the lid 26 when the lid 26 is unfolded. The extension 42 has a free edge 46 that is located where the centerline 40 would be located if the lid 26 were placed over the extension 42.

Before assembly, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the side edge 12 that connects the front and rear surfaces 8 and 10 is defined by a medial fold 48. The opposing side edge 14 on the front surface 8 is defined by two joined edges, including an exterior edge 50 on the rear surface 10 and a fold edge 52 connected to an extension 54 on the front surface 8. The fold edge 52 is placed against the exterior edge 50 upon folding the surfaces 8 and 10 about the medial fold 48.

An outside edge 56 of the extension 54 is parallel to the fold line 14, and edges 58 and 60 border the extension 54 with a shape that matches the contour of the edges 16 and 20 of the rear surface 10. The distance between fold edge 52 and exterior edge 56 is large enough so that an application of an adhesive permanently bonds the extension 54 to the rear surface 10.

The top lid 24, prior to assembly, has components 62 and 64 on the front and rear surface 8 and 10. Each component 62 and 64 has the same shape as the lid 24 and the shapes are manufactured using known stamping procedures. When assembled, the components 62 and 64 are glued together similarly to the extension 54 and the rear surface 10, thereby forming the top lid 24.

The package 6 is manufactured from a material that is rigid enough to maintain its shape when not under biasing stress by a person. For example, the package 6 is manufactured from a known paper product or plastic stock. The surfaces 8 and 10 are heat resistant so that hot liquid within the package will not burn the skin of a user when the water is begin squeezed from the teabag. The heat resistance may be a function of the material type, such as with the addition of insulation in the inside or outside of the surfaces 8 and 10. Alternatively, the heat resistance is a function of the material thickness. The material is also liquid impervious so that hot water will not leak out of the package onto the hands of the user.

Although a teabag has been discussed herein, any infusion bag for any infusion commodity may be used with the package of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not as restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims and their combination in whole or in part rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope. 

1. A package for an infusion bag comprising a cavity defined by front and rear opposing surfaces and a top lid, where the top lid outwardly biases top edges of the front and rear opposing surfaces for preventing the top edges from brushing against a string during retraction of the infusion bag.
 2. The package of claim 1, where the opposing surfaces are joined at respective side edges, and the lid has at least one opening through which the string can retract the infusion bag into the package.
 3. The package of claim 1, having a lid on the bottom of the cavity, opposing the top lid, where the bottom lid has one free edge, and wherein inwardly biasing side edges of the surfaces outwardly biases the free edge of the bottom lid from the adjacent surface.
 4. The package of claim 3, wherein the bottom and top lids forming semicircular shapes around a centerline so that the front and rear surfaces forming semi-cylindrical shapes about the centerline.
 5. The package of claim 3, wherein the bottom of the rear surface has an extension with a shape that mirrors at least a portion of the bottom lid.
 6. The package of claim 3, wherein the lids each have a medial fold separating each lid into front and rear halves, where each half folds planar with the respective front and rear surface.
 7. The package of claim 3, wherein the width of the package is larger than the width of the infusion bag when the side edges are inwardly biased so that the infusion bag may be located entirely within the package.
 8. A method of forming a package for an infusion bag comprising the step of forming a cavity defined by front and rear opposing surfaces and a top lid, where the top lid outwardly biases top edges of the front and rear opposing surfaces for preventing the top edges from brushing against a string during retraction of the infusion bag.
 9. The method of claim 8, where the opposing surfaces are joined at respective side edges, wherein the method further comprises the step of forming at least one opening in the lid through which the string can retract the infusion bag into the package.
 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising forming a lid on the bottom of the cavity, opposing the top lid, where the bottom lid has one free edge, and wherein inwardly biasing side edges of the surfaces outwardly biases the free edge of the bottom lid from the adjacent surface.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the bottom and top lids form semicircular shapes around a centerline so that the front and rear surfaces forming semi-cylindrical shapes about the centerline.
 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming an extension on the bottom of the rear surface, where the extension has a shape that mirrors at least a portion of the bottom lid.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein the lids each have a medial fold separating each lid into front and rear halves, where each half folds planar with the respective front and rear surface.
 14. The method of claim 10, wherein the width of the package is larger than the width of the infusion bag when the side edges are inwardly biased so that the infusion bag may be located entirely within the package. 